Donald Trump does not like judges. They frighten him, and tend to rule against him. And he does not like juries either. A jury of his peers just convicted him of 34 felonies involving a secret hush money payoff to a porn actress.

As a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, I acquired a great respect for jury verdicts. True, juries may not always leave their prejudices at the courthouse steps. But experience shows that juries take seriously their duty to set aside their biases and decide where the truth lies.

Jurors generally adhere to the instruction of the court that they are to render a fair and impartial verdict. After the trial of Paul Manafort, whom Trump later pardoned, a juror who identified herself as a Trump supporter was interviewed and said, “I did not want Paul Manafort to be guilty, but he was, and no one’s above the law.”

Had the verdict been one of acquittal or a hung jury — as many so-called legal experts (not I) predicted — would Trump have said the trial was rigged? Not a chance.

Trump despises the legal system and the rule of law,........

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